Parking Poles

DennisR

DennisR

Senior Member
Her indoors, being vertically challenged, is having a problem with judging the width of the car at the front. She can only just see over the hood !!
It wasn`t until I started taking the A for runs that she became more interested and decided she would like to drive it.
After a stress filled first run we are now speaking again and I said I would try and find a solution. I have seen Jap cars, and some trucks with what I call `parking poles` fitted, has anyone seen anything similar on an A ?
 
The ariel things from the 70's with the purple lights should do it. ;)

Better to fix the seat tho.

Recently replaced the foam seat cushion (base) in my modernish car after 200,000k's. My goodness what a difference.
It lifts the driver up about 2 inches. Whole car seems to ride better. Even the lumbar support in the back of the seat now works.
 
As with any vehicle, it is about getting used to something. I am pleased to hear that she is still conversing with you, -albeit mostly one-sided!!
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I would start my going to your local lumber store and purchasing four 48" long (--or whatever that works out to be in your measuring world! :D) wood dowels. Then find four green or orange tennis balls, and four worm-gear hose clamps. Use a knife or razor blade and slit the ball with an X so it will slide down over the end of the tennis ball. Then unscrew the hose clamp completely and wrap it around the barrel spacer on the bumper bolt at the end of each bumper and tighten the hose clamp where it will hold the wooden dowel. The initial length will seem excessive at first but it should be easy to see all four corners. Then as she becomes more acclimated to where the corners are, then lower the wood dowel and saw off the excess below the bumper.

Once she is more comfortable with the four corners of the vehicle, you may be able to remove the wood with the tennis balls all-together. If not, find some of your country's flags on wooden sticks and place at each corner to substitute for your tennis balls. Good Luck!!! :eek: :p
 
How about an old wrap around bumper salvaged from a retired amusement park bumper car...Never mind, I wouldn't suggest that solution out loud in front of my wife either.

I have a rubber ball hanging on a string in my garage where thewindshield on my truck needs to be when it is properly hangered. If I drive in and align the ball directly in front of the driver I end up with plenty of clearance on both sides, the garage door will be clear to close. Best of all I haven't enlarged the garage into the guest bedroom.

Then maybe you could hang one from a long pole and lean out of the passenger window to guide her when she is driving. Might help avoid verbal confrontations? Better let that idea remain internal also.

She will figure it out in time. Enjoy sharing the moments.
 
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If it is inside hang a ball from the ceiling to some point on the car. Like the radiator, that will give her a target that is not detracting from the car in normal life. being soft you may be able to place several in a row and when it is passed it will roll up over the car.

Chap pasted similar above
 
Around here in the Northeast they put out fiberglass poles to mark corners for snow plows. They also have those rods for bike flags.

There are markers from the 40/50s? that were lighted on top to mark the car corners.
Corner markers
 
"I've seen Jap cars..." That is a pejorative term. They aren't "Jap" cars. They are Japanese cars.
 
DennisR said:
Her indoors, being vertically challenged, is having a problem with judging the width of the car at the front. She can only just see over the hood !!
It wasn`t until I started taking the A for runs that she became more interested and decided she would like to drive it.
After a stress filled first run we are now speaking again and I said I would try and find a solution. I have seen Jap cars, and some trucks with what I call `parking poles` fitted, has anyone seen anything similar on an A ?
Click to expand...

What you are looking for are readily available from railroad equipment supply companies and probably truck equipment stores also. Here is a pic of some on my
hy-rail truck.
 

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Her indoors, having read thru the posts and seen the funny side of some of them did a bit of searching herself and came up with these on ebay 332070594015
My response has now put us back on non-speaking terms, all I said was I`m not driving a circus wagon !!! :o :mad: :rolleyes:
 
Hoe about ty-wraping an American Flag to the corner of each bumper? Most hardware stores sell them on a 24- 30 inch stick. Patriotic and functional.
 
It wouldn`t bother me, come in handy for shows. Spent some time putting together wooden doweling and easy to remove clips, works good, easy to mount and remove, got the other half to take a look...............breaks the news she has ordered the ones on Ebay.............. ah well, see what I can do when they arrive, time to call a halt to this saga, bound to be another round the corner :D
 
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